Control apparatus



April 8, 1930. J. T. wELsH CONTROL APPARATUS 2 shets-sheet 1 Filed March 2, 1927 lNvENToR,

l www A'TTORNEY April 8, 1930. J. T. WELSH CONTROL APPARATUS P 'led March 2, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet- 2 y .IPN

lNvENToR fo/1n 7 .11/1/6/5/7 WITNESSES; 3. s-a@ /Qcf AT'ToRN EY Patented Aipr. 8., 1930 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE :form T. WELSH, orlwnsTrrnLn, Naw JERSEY 5 CONTROL APPARATUS -Appucauon md Ima 2, m7. seri-a1 nu. 172,040.

15 with a rolling motion.

A further object of my invention is to provide a contactor that shall positivel separate the contact members in case they ecome welded or if, for any reason, the resilient member fails to act. l

Another obiect of my invention-is to provide-a cam-actuated contacter having a snap action-and which is relatively simple in con-v struction, eiective in operation and economical to manufacture.

A further object of my invention is to provide a contactor, as above described, in which all the parts are individuallyv readily accessible for vthe purpose of making replacements without disturbing any other parts of the controller.

Qther objects of my inventionwill become evident from the following description when taken in connection drawings.

The parts o f m vcontacter may be made of any material an form that are suitable to such use and it will be understood, therefore, that the apparatus illustratedin the accompanying drawings may be variously modified within the scope of my invention.

Fig. 1 is a vlew, in side elevation, of a conwith the accompanying ltaeter embodying my invention, showing theA parts thereof in their respective positions' when the contacter is in its circuit-closing position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the contacter shown in'Fig.1;an A

Fig; 3 is a, view, in side elevation, of the 5' contactor showing the respective positions of the parts when the contactor is in its open-circuit position., Referring to the drawings, my invention is shown as comprising, in general, a base. member 1 of insulating material on Awhich is 55 mounted a stationary contact member 2 and a. coo erating movable contact member 3 carried alever arm 4 which, inturn', is supporte by a bracket 5;

The bracket 5 is secured to the base member 60 i 1, and a cam 7 is rotatably mounted on the base member for actuating the lever arm 4 through a lost-motion connection which comprises a roller 9 that rides on the surface of the cam 7, together with a spring 11 ythat is o5 associated with a toggle mechanism 12 and withthe movable contact member 3 for' imparting a snap movement to the latter.

The stationary'contact member or tip 2 is supported b a post 13 and is firmly secured 10 thereto bya olt 10 which may also be utilized F' as a terminal for a leading-in wire of con-` ductor. The movable contact member 3 is secured to a contact-carrying element 14 that is pro- 75 vided'with a -transverse opening 15 for the reception of a pin 16 and further comprises a bifurcated lug'v17 and av bent lug or arm 18 that are disposed on the opposite side of the opening 15 from the movable contact mem- 8 0 VVber 3. The two partsy of lug 17 are provided with a pin 19 for the attachment ofv one vend of vthe spring 11. The lug 18 extends outwardly fora short distance in parallelism with the lugs 17 and is then bent downwardly-to pro- 85 vide a termnal21 for securing one end of a flexible conductor 22 thereto.

The lever arm 4 is constructed from a pair of lates 23 of'stamped material which are hel in ositon by the pin 16 and the oint 90 action o the pair of plates 24 that col'istltute the bracket 5 and a portion of thetoggle A12. The plates 2 3 are disposedwithin the plates 24 andare pressed outwardly against the latter by one ofthe enlarged;end meir'1bersv of 95 the toggle 12. The plte`23a1'e p r'v'i'ded with outwardl eitendinpins 25 thatare seated in note es 26 in'` el plates24 and L thereby serve as points for the lever arm. l 100 4tie vto

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The bracket 5` comprises the plates 24, I

heretofore mentioned, which are made of stamped material and are roughlyof Y- shape. A lower leg on each of the plates 24 extends downwardly and is attached to any suitable securing block 27 that is firmly fixed to the base member l. The securingblock.

27 is provided with a terminal 28 for receiving one end of the iexible conductor 22. An arm or branch 29 of each of the plates extends upwardly and is provided with the above-mentioned notch 26; and the other arm' 31 of each of the plates is provided with an opening 32 for the reception of a bolt 33 that secures one end of the toggle 12in place. Each of the plates 24, between the arms 29 and 31, is provided with a projection or boss 34 that serves as a limiting stop for avpin 30- that secures the toggle 12 to the lever arm 4.

The securing block 27 .is provided with a pair of laterally extending portions 35 that serveas guides for the flexible conductor 2 2. Secondary guide members 36 and 37 `may be mounted on the guide members 35, if desired.l

The cam 7 is supported by a shaft 38'that is mounted in standards 39. Any suitable actuating mechanism, such as the usual co'ntroller handle, (not shown) may be secured l to the shaft4 38 for actuating the cam 7. The periphery of the cam 7 is provided with a segmental portion 42 of irregular contour for actuating the roller 9 which is mounted on a work arm 43.

The work arm 43 is pivoted, at one end, to a supportingmember 44 that is mounted on the base member 1. The work arm 43 consistsof a pair of complementary members 45 0fsheet metal which surround the cam 7 and are bent downwardly, at an intermediate portion 46, in order to permit them to pass between the plates 24 of the bracket 5. The extremi-` ties of the plates 45 are bent outwardly and upwardly to provide hammer portions 47 that are placed in alinement with the platesl 23 of the lever 4 and outside of the spring 11, to thus partially protect it. lThe ends 47 of the plates 45 are adapted to impinge-upon the plates 23 with` a hammer action. The

plates 45 are also provided with upwardly projecting arms 48 that extend between the plates 24 of the bracket 5 and are provided,

at their outer ends, with a pin 49v to which one end of the spring 1l is'connected.

Assuming the contactor to be in the circuitclosing position shown in Fig. 1 and that it is v desired to open the circuit, the shaft38 is rotated- 4in the counter-clockwise direction which causes the cam-7 to turn and the roller 9 to move rst along the-irregular portion 42 of the cam 7 and then engage the cylindrical portion 50. The cam 7 thus moves the work arm 43 upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3. In doing so, the spring-carrying arms 48 are-'projected up between the side plates 23 of the contact-carrying lever 4, as illustrated.

rlhe pins 25 are secured to the side plates 23 of thel contact-carrying lever 4 insuch manner that they in no way interfere; with the .movement of these arms. At the time the contact-carrying lever 4 is forced to the open position, the toggle 12 is forced downward, as shown, and, to 'permit this cooperating action, the pins 25 on the contact lever 4 slide along the notches 26 l",- cated in the bracket 5. When this operation takes place, the spring l1 will shift 'its position in harmony with the work arm 43, inasmuch as it is secured to' that element at the extremities of the projections 48.- As the spring 11 passes over a dead-center position, which coincides with a line drawn between the point of contact ofthe contact members and thepoint where. the contact lever 4 is ivoted on the bracket 5, the spring will bev iased in a manner to exert a tension to urge the contact members apart and will cause them `to separate with a snap movement, thereby reducing the arcing and vsparking between these members.

When the cam is rotated in the opposite or clockwise direction. the roller A9.w1ll again. return to the initially described. closed position and, at the same time, the spring 11 willalso be returned to the corresponding position. A snap action similar to that described above will take place when the spring passes the aforementioned dead-center line, the tension in this case being differently applied, so that the spring is biased in'a manner to urge the contact members together, in which position it remains until further movement of the cam as desired.

The spring 1l, being attached to the contact-carrying element'l4 which is pivotally mounted upon the arm 4 and carries the movable contact member 3 thereon, a rolling action is provided for that contact member,

' tact lever 4 can be opened.

By means of the hammer elements 47 'on the work arm 43 which are adapted to impingel upon the side arms 23 of -the contact member 4, this lever willbe positively forced open when the work arm 43 is actuated to the open position, in case the contact members ,should become welded together or, for any reason, the1 spnng 11 orits associated'parts should It will 'be noted that, `by connecting the spring 11, as illustrated, between the pivoted contact-carrying member 14 that is coupled to the contact lever 4 and the projections 48 on the work arm 43, two results are accomplished by thetsingle spring, in that it providesa controlled rolling action for the contact members and also functions to eiifect the rapid opening and closing ofthe switch.

While I have shown my invention in a preferred form, it is apparent that various modiications may be made in the arrangement and construction of the parts Without departing from its spirit.` It will be understood, therefore, that I do not limit my invention to the specific arrangement illustrated, but desire that only such limitations shall be placed thereon asA are indicated in the appended claims.

I cla-im as my invention -i 1. A 'switch comprising cooperating contact members, a single spring pivotally co`n nected to one of said contact-members, and.

means associated with said'spring for providing a snap openin and closing movement of said contact mem rs through the action of said spring, and for also providing rolling action between said contact members.

2. A switch comprising a fixed anda movable contactA member, a resilient element -for normally urging said members together, and means comprising a cam for moving said resilient element to a position urging said contact members apart, said resilient element also actin to return said contact members together .w en said cam is moved to its norlmally closed position.

3. A switch comprising a fixed and a movable contact member, a-vcontact lever, s'aid movable contact member being .pivotally mounted at one end of said contact lever, a

work arm, a bracket and av toggle element being pivotally connected to said lever at the other end, a support, said work arm being pivotally mounted on said vsupport at one end and having a rojection'near the other end, a spring coup ed to said projection on said' work arm. and to the movable contact "member, said'spring normally urging said contact members together, lmeans, comprising a cam for actuating said Work arm to the' open position, said spring being responsive to the change in position of said work arm for forcing rsaid contact members rapidly apart, said cam being adapted to hold said springbiased in the last-named position. V

4. A switch comprising a fixed and a movable `contact member, a contact lever, said 1'vo'ta11y' v mounted on one end of the contact ever, the

movable? contact 'member `being other' end of said lever being pivotally mounted on a bracket and a toggle,`ap1vot ally mounted and bifurated work arx'n-ha'ving a'roller, mounted thereon and a pro] ection v Iearitsfreeend spring connectydgbetween said projection on said work armndthe movements of said work arm movable contact member, a controller shaft, a cam -mounted thereon, and means for actuating said cam, said roller on said work arm being adapted to ride on said cam and cause said work arm to shift the position of said spring with the movement of said cam, v

saidl spring normally urging. said' contact members together and responsive to urge said contact members apart when it has been biased through the action of said cam andv work arm past a critical position with rela tion to said contact lever and said toggle, thereby forcing said contact members rapidly apart.

5. A switch comprising' two cooperating contact-members, a contact lever having one end secured to one of said members, a bracket and a toggle pivotally associated with the` other v eind of said lever, a shunt for connecting said bracket to said movable contact member, a shunt guide arm on said bracket, ay

pivotally mounted work arm, a s ring connected between said work arm an said contact member in a mannerto urge said contact members' together lin their normally closed posltlons, and means for moving said work arm to bias said spring toward the open position and cause said contact'members to separate with a snap action;

6. A switch comprising a fixed and a movable contact member, a pivotally mounted contact vlever for carrying said movable contact'member, a fixed bracket and a toggle being pivotally associated wit said lever, a

pivotally mounted r work a m, actuating ci-ated with the other end thereof, a pivotally mounted bifurcated work arm, a spring connecting said work arm and said contact lever together, means for actuating said work arm, said spring normally urging sald contact members together, and being responsive to or causing said contact vmembers to open with asnap action ,and also close them in thel samemanner when Y said work arm is returned to its normal position, the vfree end of said work arm termipitting in two'hammer elements for imping- .mgupo'n said contact lever to positively open said contact members in the event of sticking thereof or `failure of said spring, said hammer elements also actlng as a protective means for said'spring.

8. A switch comprising a stationary contact member, a contact lever, a movable contact member pivotally mounted on the contact lever and disposed to engage the fixed p contact member, a bracket for supporting the contact lever, and a toggle element for pivotally connectingl the contact level` to the bracket, a pivotally mounted work arm, means for actuating the arm to different positions, a spring connected between the mov-- able Contact member and the work arm for biasing the contact lever to different positionos as the work arm is moved to different positions, also for permitting a rolling action tothe movable contact member when the switch closes and a quick separating action to the movable contact member when the switch opens.

9. A- switch comprising cooperating contact members, a contact lever for carrying one of the contact members, a work arm, means for actuating said work arm, a spring connected to the work arm and to the contact lever, said. springnorrnally e'ecting movement of the Contact lever as the spring is moved to different positions by the work arm, said work arm beingy provided with hammer elements for impinging upon the contact lever to cause it to positively open said contact members in the event of sticking of the contacts or the failure to open in response to the spring.

i l0. In a switch in combination, a vpivotally mounted contact member, a pivotally mounted work arm for actuating the contact member, a spring connected between the work arm and contact member,the connections between the contact member, work arm and spring being so disposed relative to the pivot points that the work arm is continuously biased to a predetermined position and the contact member is biased to different positions as the work arm is actuated.

. In testimony whereof, Iphave hereunto sub,

scribed my name this twenty-fifth day of February 1927.

` JOHN T, WELSH. 

